LB 3215 
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CONCRETE SCHOOL 
HOUSES 




PUBLISHED BY THE 

ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN PORTLAND 
CEMENT MANUFACTURERS 

BELLEVUE COURT BUILDING, PHILADELPHIA 

CONCRETE FOR PERMANENCE 



©CI.A399690 



L33i/r 



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Concrete School Houses 



AS IS the case in many of the institutions of our country, the school 
/-\ house is the result of a process of evolution or growth from small 
-*- -•* beginnings. Our first efforts toward education were carried on in 
private houses under the tutor system, in the "dame school" of New Eng- 
land, and in the log school house of pioneer days. 

The school house has expanded in size with the increasing attendance 
and the development of the curriculum and educational system. Unfor- 
tunately, the standards of construction did not keep pace with the progress 
of education. While the larger schools were not built entirely of frame, 
and had masonry walls, the floor, stairways, and all the inside trimmings 
were of Wood. These structures were called "fireproof! " 

In concrete is the latest and probably the final development of school 
house construction. The number of these buildings is constantly increas- 
ing and will continue to do so as their advantages are more fully understood. 



The Advantages of Concrete in School Houses 
Fireproof Qualities. — When one is asked the chief requirement of a school 
house, there is no doubt or hesitancy in the reply — fireproof ness. Not 
practically fireproof or almost fireproof, but absolutely fireproof. It is 
astonishing that school boards and officials, who as fathers give their 
children every protection that love can grant, should authorize the con- 
struction of school" houses which, if not veritable fire-traps, are still far 
from fireproof or even fire resistant. 

The reason for this seeming indifference or error in judgment is the fact 
that the types of school houses which have been built for the past fifty 
years were considered fireproof. That this is not the case is demonstrated 
in a terrible manner in a catastrophe such as that of the fire which destroyed 
the Lake View School at Collinwood, Ohio. In this building 165 children 
lost their lives, and yet before the fire doubtless most persons would have 
asserted that this school was "practically fireproof." No building, no 
matter of what the walls are composed, having combustible floors can be 

Copyright, 1015, by the Association of American Portland Cement Manufacturers. 




Fig. 1. — Monolithic Conckete School House, Mineville, N. Y. 

considered as proof against fire and a safe place to shelter children as- 
sembled in large numbers. 

All the large office buildings, banks and institutions are of the most 
improved construction, made fireproof by every known method, with 
ponderous vaults to safeguard books, documents, records and currency. 
In contrast to this, the school house sheltering our children, who are more 
precious than all the stored wealth of the world, is built often in a hap- 
hazard fashion, without thought of its lack of protection from fire. 

That reinforced concrete is the most fire-resistant construction known 
is conceded by the foremost engineers and architects. Not only is it fire 
resistant, but is a fire preventive. Figure 3 shows a corridor in the Nor- 
folk High School. A glance will show that it is impossible for fire to spread 
along such a passageway. For example, should a fire begin in the wood- 
working shops, which are at the right on this corridor, the flames would be 
confined to that one room owing to lack of material for them to feed upon. 

As an instance of this action of concrete in confining flames the follow- 
ing is interesting. Fire started in the fourth floor of the concrete building 
of the Dayton Motor Car Works, Dayton, Ohio. This building had 
been so recently completed that automatic fire doors had not been installed 
to protect the openings from the new building into an old five-story first- 

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MAY II 1915 




Fig. 2. 



-Lake View School, Collinwood, Ohio. 
165 Children. 



This Fire Cost the Lives of 



class mill construction building adjoining. The fire started in the up- 
holstery department on the fourth floor of the concrete building, and after 
burning the contents of this floor spread to the brick building adjoining, 
where the roof, fifth and fourth floors fell in a charred mass and wrecked 
the building. The flames were confined to the fourth floor of the con- 
crete structure and the balance of the building was uninjured. Within 
two days manufacturing on the burned-out floor of the concrete building 
was resumed. 

The Thos. A. Edison Plant fire at West Orange, N. J., is another dem- 
onstration of the ability of concrete to withstand fire. Every other type 
of building which caught fire was totally destroyed, while the concrete 
structures are intact and are being used again for manufacturing. 

The heat of burning contents of a factory imposes a much severer test 
upon the building than could ever occur in a school house, which gives the 
latter a large factor of safety. 

Maximum Daylight Available. — While the safety of concrete is its 
great advantage, there are other very attractive points that claim atten- 

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Fig. 3. — Corridor in Norfolk High School. No Opportunity Afforded for 

Spread of Fire. 

tion. In these days of efficiency engineering there can be no doubt of the 
advantage of plenty of light in the factory and office and therefore equally 
in the schools. Who can say how often the foundations for future eye 
trouble are laid in the dark school-rooms which are only too common? 

Owing to the monolithic character of the concrete walls and columns 
and their great strength, large window area is possible. This is particularly 
true where a reinforced skeleton system is employed and the walls are 
only a veneer to keep out the elements. Concrete factories have window 
areas as high as 85 per cent of the total wall area, and it is stated by some 
owners that the large amount of light increases their employees' efficiency 
five to ten per cent. If such an increase is possible in the factory, it will 
be more than possible in the school-room. Children are very susceptible 
to their surroundings, and the influence of a bright, well-lighted room can- 
not help but be for increased efficiency. 



Sanitary Qualities of Concrete. — Great stress is now laid on the teach- 
ing of hygiene and the inculcation of sound ideas on sanitation. As an 
object lesson nothing can be better than the example of a clean, whole- 
some, sanitary school. The sanitary qualities of concrete are self-evident. 
It is needless to say that a building entirely of concrete is absolutely 
vermin-proof. Where floors join the walls and partitions the floor can be 

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Fig. 4. — Physical Laboratory, Norfolk High School. Note Sanitary Concrete 
Floor and Absence of Woodwork with the Exception of Desks. 

coved or filleted so as to eliminate wooden base-boards and all cracks 
where dust and dirt may collect. The comparatively slow conductivity 
of heat by concrete results in a school house that is warm in winter and 
cool in summer. 



Costs of Concrete Construction. — The cost of a building should not be 
measured by the first cost, but the ultimate cost also must be considered. 
In first cost reinforced concrete school houses are in general as low as brick 
and naturally higher than ordinary frame construction. In some cases 
concrete costs are even lower than for brick buildings with wooden floors. 
Since costs are dependent entirely on local conditions, such as labor, avail- 
ability of materials, etc., it is impossible to give data covering all localities 
and conditions. As an evidence of the low first cost of concrete the follow- 
ing costs, as given by John T. Simpson, C. E., are interesting: 

"The Board of Education at Irvington, N. J., a few weeks after the 
Collinwood fire, brought out plans for the erection of a four-class-room 
building. The original design called for typical brick walls with wood 

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Fig. 5. — Central Avenue Public School. Madison. N. J. 



floor construction. When the bids were received, it was found that this 
building could be duplicated in reinforced concrete for three hundred 
dollars less than the best prices received on the basis of brick and wood, 
and, as a result, to the town of Irvington, N. J., must be given the credit 
of being the first to adopt this type of construction for public schools in 
this section of the country. After several years of service, the building 
has proved so satisfactory that they have adopted this method of construc- 
tion for all new school houses. 

"While this building was in progress of construction the members of 
the Board of Education of Summit, N. J., who were planning to erect a 
nine -class-room and assembly-room building, visited the work and were 
so well pleased with the construction that they adopted reinforced con- 
crete for their new Lincoln School. 

" The neighboring town of Chatham, N. J., a few months later, obtained 
bids on both brick and wood and reinforced concrete. The result of the 
bidding showed that a reinforced concrete building could be built for the 
same price as the building of brick and wood. Unfortunately, however, 
as is often the case, the appropriation was made before the plans were 
drawn, and as the bids for a brick and wood building were taken on sepa- 
rate items, the Board was able to contract for as much of the building as 
the appropriation would provide for, and later made another appropria- 
tion to finish the work. This building is an exact duplicate, in floor plan, 

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Fig. 6. — Lincoln School, Summit, N. J. 



of the building adopted about the same time by the Board of Education 
at Madison, N. J., for their Central Avenue School, and which building was 
built of reinforced concrete. 

"It should be noted that in the Chatham building the second-story 
walls were but eight inches thick, the cornices were made of wood, the 
flashings of tin and the ceilings of stamped metal in order to keep the cost 
as low as possible; but, notwithstanding this, the price for the reinforced 
concrete building was no more than that paid for the brick and wood 
structure. 

"At Millburn, N. J., competitive bids were taken on brick and wood 
and reinforced concrete on a four-class-room building. The average bid on 
the brick and wood basis was five thousand dollars higher than the price on 
the reinforced concrete basis. One bid, however, on the brick and wood 
was about the same as the price on the concrete basis. The Board de- 
cided in favor of the reinforced concrete building. 

"Perhaps the best example of what can be done in reinforced concrete 
was the result of the bidding on Public School No. 11, at Bayonne, N. J. 
As this building is larger, the comparison would necessarily be better. 

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Fig. 7.- 



-Roslyn Farms School, Carnegie, Pa. 
crete School House — Cost 



Splendid Example op Small Con- 
3,000 Complete. 



This building contains twenty-seven class-rooms, teachers' and principal's 
rooms, library and an assembly hall seating one thousand people. This 
does not include any of the rooms in the basement, several of which are 
used for class purposes. 

"The lowest bid received on the basis of brick and wood was $132,- 
700.00. The contract for the construction of the building was awarded on 
the reinforced concrete basis for $111,000.00— a saving of $21,700.00. 
All bids were without heating and plumbing work." 

While first cost is the cost that is usually considered, the maintenance 
charges are also of importance. 

Concrete buildings require practically no maintenance for the structure 
proper. It should not be considered that concrete is suitable only for 
large schools, for it can be utilized in small structures which otherwise 
would be built of wood. Aside from the question of fireproof ness, it is here 
that maintenance costs are of importance. The wooden structure needing 
regular painting and the replacing of rotting boards is a constantly increas- 
ing expense, in striking contrast to concrete, which, besides needing no 
repairs or maintenance when new, actually grows stronger with age. 




Fig. S. — Norfolk High School under Construction. Reinforced Concrete 
Skeleton and Floors with Brick Veneer. 

Appearance. — On the score of appearance there now need be no hesita- 
tion in deciding on concrete. In every locality there is some work in con- 
crete which shows its possibility in securing a surface and form that is 
pleasing to the eye. These demonstrate that no longer can it be said that 
concrete surfaces present a cold, uninviting appearance. By employing 
suitable aggregates and by finishing the surface with scrubbing, tooling, or 
sand blasting, there is produced a surface uniform in texture and color. 
These operations expose the aggregates to give the desired color, which, 
of course, depends upon the original color of the sand and stone. 

The use of colored tile inserts and simple, dignified architectural details 
supply all the ornamentation needed. Ornamental band courses and 
entablatures over windows and doors are possible with concrete, and the 
most elaborate undercut details can be employed where required by the 
architectural design. 



Types of Concrete Construction for Schools 

Several types of concrete construction are utilized in school-house build- 
ing. The one best suited for each particular case depends on the size of 
building, layout, and local conditions. 



Monolithic Concrete. — In a monolithic school house there need be 
absolutely no wood other than furniture, desks and chairs, so that there is 

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1 ^^^aIv^ °* { * ' ! " 



Sit • : ft| i ., 




Fig. 9. — High School, Fort Worth, Texas. Concrete Floors and Skeleton. 

practically nothing inflammable in the building. The walls, floors, beams, 
and columns are all of concrete reinforced with steel in the form of rods, 
wire mesh, or expanded metal. Partitions are of concrete or cement 
plaster on metal lath. Stairways are also of reinforced concrete; one or 
more preferably enclosed with concrete walls so as to form a "tower fire- 
escape." Such a stairway would allow children on the upper floors to 
descend safely to the street even though an intermediate floor was a mass 
of flame. The best construction calls for metal doors and interior trim, 
metal window-sash and frames, and, where necessary, windows equipped 
with wire glass. 

A building constructed in the manner described is practically a mono- 
lith; the walls, floors, beams and columns being all tied together by con- 
crete and steel. Such structures, when tested in conflagrations, earth- 
quakes, and cyclones, have demonstrated that reinforced concrete is the 
safest and most enduring construction known to man. 



Reinforced Concrete Skeleton. — It is sometimes the case that a new 
building must be erected to conform in appearance to older structures, 
having walls of brick, stone or other material — or architectural considera- 

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Fig. 10. — Concrete Block School House, Stuart, Florida. 

tions demand the use of such walls. Under these conditions it is possible 
to retain most of the advantages of monolithic construction and still com- 
ply with the requirements. 

This is done by building floors, beams and columns of reinforced con- 
crete, forming a skeleton frame upon which is installed the walls, consisting 
of a veneer of the desired material, properly tied to the concrete members. 
In this construction the walls bear none of the load of the floors and act 
merely as curtain walls to keep out the elements. As the strength of the 
building is independent of the walls, large window areas can be provided 
for, as before mentioned. 



Concrete Blocks. — In many rural and suburban sections, the small 
number of pupils requires only a small school house of one or two stories, 
with only a few class-rooms. It is too often the case that such structures 
are of frame construction, requiring constant repairs and are always in 
danger from fire. Concrete blocks are especially fitted for such structures. 
No wall forms are required and the costs are very low. Blocks with air 
spaces are utilized, giving a wall that has excellent insulating properties 
against heat and cold. Such walls, however, are always furred, lathed and 
plastered on the interior face to prevent any possibility of condensation. 

Needless to say, the best principles of concrete block school-house con- 

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Fig. 11. — Jefferson School, Salt Lake City. Monolithic Reinforced Concrete. 

struction call for concrete floors — reinforced if self-supporting — and con- 
crete stairways. A school house with wooden floors cannot be considered 
fireproof. The forms for floors are very simple and not costly, consisting 
merely of a temporary wooden floor supported by wooden studs — all of 
which are removed when the concrete becomes self-supporting. The floor 
forms then are used for upper floors or for other purposes. 

Where the appearance of concrete blocks is objected to, Portland 
cement stucco can be applied to the outer surface of the blocks — which in 
this case are made with plain flat face. The prejudice against the appear- 
ance of blocks is now abating to a large extent, because of the improve- 
ments in manufacture which secure a more pleasing surface and avoid the 
imitation of other materials. Very pleasing color effects can be secured 
by the use of stucco, without, of course, affecting any of the desirable 
qualities of block construction. 

The different types of concrete school houses are each adapted to 
certain conditions, but all fulfil the paramount requirement, that of safety 
from fire risk to child life. 



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